The 1948-50 Emporia Nationals: Digging for Gold in Peanuts and Cotton

At the end of World War II, it was an easy argument to make that the Washington Nationals had the worst farm system in the major leagues. In 1947 Washington had the fewest number of minor league affiliates (6) and scouts (3) of any big-league organization. The on-field ramifications of having such a weak farm …

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Frank Howard Nestle Quik Commercial

By Mark Hornbaker / D.C. Baseball History.com    

Nats’ historic run of winning seasons is at risk

Sunday night’s walk-off loss to Chicago might have been a crushing moment for the Nationals and their fans, a potential gut punch to the season and possibly a way of baseball life that fans may have taken for granted. By surrendering a two-out, two-strike grand slam in the bottom of the ninth, a team that’s …

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Nats need streak like they had in 2014 to get back in the race

The Nationals have played their best baseball of the season since the All-Star break, and especially since Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, yet they’re still looking up at Atlanta and first-place Philadelphia in the National League East standings. What they really need right now is a winning streak, one like the amazing 10-game run they put …

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DAY 7: THE SIEVERS STREAK

Saturday, August 3, 1957- Sly and the Family Stone’s classic hit song “Hot Fun in theSummertime” could very well have been written about this ball game. The Tigers and the Senators would both send 5 pitchers each into a 17 inning, 4 hour and 24 minute marathon on a blistering 98 degree, humid August day …

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DAY 6: THE SIEVERS STREAK

Friday, August 2, 1957- The Tigers come to town and it’s not even Circus Time! On another balmy 90+ degree Washington summer’s eve, Camilo Pascual would earn a 2-1 victory over the Tigers, The Tigers’ Paul Foytack surrended a solo home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning to our hero Roy Sievers. This …

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DAY 5: THE SIEVERS STREAK

Thursday, August 1, 1957- As the temperature rose in Washington D. C., so also did Roy Sievers’ batting average.  Jack Harsham would become the next unwilling victim to Roy’s lethal bat. In the bottom of the 6th inning, with outfield mate Jim Lemon on base, Roy would take Harsham’s best fast ball deep into straightaway …

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DAY 4: THE SIEVERS STREAK

Wednesday, July 31, 1957- In the second game of a traditional 3-game set, Roy Sievers would show White Sox pitcher Bob Keegan the meaning of “frozen rope.”  In the bottom of the 7th inning, with the bases empty, Roy would hit a laser beam into the left field stands in an attempt to bring the …

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Hall of Fame still elusive for Ex-Senators’ manager Hodges

Sunday’s Hall of Fame inductions made it a great day for anyone who was a baseball from the 1980s through the 2000s. Seeing the enshrinement of Vladimir Gurrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jack Morris, Jim Thome and Alan Trammel brings back decades of memories. And while a few recent inductees, such as catcher Ivan Rodriguez …

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DAY 3: THE SIEVERS STREAK

Tuesday, July 30, 1957- After a Monday off-day, the Chicago White Sox would come into town to frolic in the humid night air of ol’ D.C. Roy, who would usually save his big swats for the late innings, would spank pitcher Dick Donovan in the bottom of the 4th inning for a solo homer into, …

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